Making A Genius
by Red-Like-Lithium
Summary: Part of my "Inside the Sand" collection. Kankurou figured he was the worst with kids in the family- so why he was suddenly a sensei was beyond that of his imagination.


_A/N: I don't own Naruto or it's characters, but I do own what I'm writing._

_Part of my "Inside the Sand" project. I'm doing a collection of Sand Siblings one-shots, so here's Kankurou becoming a _sensei:3

_(Remember for future reference that Gaara likes collecting cacti.)_

_Enjoy~_

* * *

.

.

Out of all of them, Kankurou figured he was the worst with kids.

Not that it was _entirely_ his fault.

All his life, the first son of the 4th Kazekage had had bad experienced with children. It didn't help that he'd been raised as an adult since the day his mother died - an event he didn't even remember because he'd been so young. _Yondaime_ \- that old bastard - had expected his oldest children to be able to take care of themselves. And because of that, Temari and Kankurou had leaned on each other for support for as long as their memories went back. Even if their relationship had been rocky at first, they still helped the other up when they fell.

Not only that, but...he'd grown up with a psychotic murderer of a brother. Or at least, that's what Kankurou had once thought of Gaara. He and his _otouto _had a very close connection nowadays, but back then...their days consisted of threats, fear, and distrust. Kankurou would be the first to admit that he'd longed for a better bond with the red-head back then. But that had been out of the question at the time.

Kankurou had been the son of the Kazekage, the brother of a killer, and related to the girl who struck terror in a sane people's hearts. But that didn't stop bullies from ganging up on the kid almost daily. Kankurou had grown up a fighter.

He didn't need people his age. They were all mean, anyway.

His only friends for a long time had been Temari when she wasn't training and the puppets he began to construct. The puppets he fights with today. The style he had to teach himself because the pros refused to mentor a boy who was associated with Sabaku no Gaara.

Kankurou had hated kids for a long time.

Even after his family had constructed their unbreakable ties and become the best of friends, a _family_, Kankurou refused to get close to children. He'd been taught to punch back when a blow was coming his way. He'd been taught to dislike those tiny fingers that pulled his hair and those pudgy feet that kicked his shins.

But damn that brother of his, Gaara just _loved_ to mess him.

.

.

"No _fucking_ way."

"Temari doesn't have enough time," Gaara explained in a monotone voice he was accustomed to. "She's in charge of planning the Chuunin Exams each year. And I'm-"

"-The Kazekage, I _know_," Kankurou groaned, taking a seat in the guest chair in the office. "But seriously? You know this isn't something I can do, Gaara."

When he heard nothing, the Master of Puppets lifted his gaze to meet those green eyes that no longer looked at him with misgivings. Gaara spoke then, and Kankurou understood that there was no wriggling his way out of this one.

"Would I ask you to do something that I knew you couldn't handle, Kankurou?"

.

.

Kankurou scowled at the list he held in his hand.

He sat on a rock with one leg crossed over the other, his scrolls piled on the sand next to him. The sun was beating down on the desert, something everyone was used to. Not a cloud was in sight - one of the many things civilians lived with here. In the distance, Kankurou noticed a lovely vulture soaring overhead. Today was just _gorgeous_, with the shitty weather, the birds that fed on carcasses, and three pairs of wide eyes staring up at him expectantly.

"Don't you get hot wearing all black?"

"No."

"Why?"

Kankurou cocked a brow at the kid. "I use puppets in battle, so because I have to focus my _chakra_ differently than a lot of others do, my _chakra_ is finer and is therefore cooler, meaning my body temperature doesn't rise as easily as your's does."

"That's pretty cool," the boy said, grinning. "I wish I could do that!"

The man tilted his head slightly at that. "Yeah, well, first you have to learn how to use _chakra_ at all."

Kazu, the hyperactive of the three, got to his feet and held up a fist. "I can do that! I'll surpass you, _Sensei_!"

_Damnit Gaara._

So here Kankurou was, being introduced to the little punks who he was supposed to train until they passed the Chuunin Exams. Yippee.

He'd already discovered that Kazu, a loud, obnoxious boy with dark, messy hair, and a tan attire was a complete handful. He had absolutely no talent in _ninjutsu _(according to the midget himself) and his hips were strapped with way too many _kunai_. If anything, he was kinda amusing to watch.

Another male child, Yuji, differed by a ridiculous amount. He was seemingly intelligent, but really quiet, almost shy. Kankurou decided this was what elders would call a 'genius'. The white-haired youngster with coal-colored eyes was already incredibly skilled in both weaponry and _ninjutsu_. At least, according to the file provided.

Then there was the girl, Midori. She was cute, for a brat, with short, blonde hair and a big smile. As for her information, she was supposed to be fairly good at creating Sand Clones and was improving faster in her _kekkei genkai _more so than arms like _shuuriken_. Kankurou figured she was a part of this team to keep one guy in his place, the other from being a loner.

_Damnit Gaara, damnit Gaara, damnit Gaara-_

"So anything I should know about you all?" Kankurou asked, uninterested but at least he was trying.

And of course, Kazu shouted first, "I'm going to be Kazekage!"

By the end of the day, all Kankurou had learned was that apparently Naruto had a long lost brother who had made his way into his mentoring. Also, Yuji liked chocolate and Midori might have had a crush on him. What the hell was this?!

_...Damnit Gaara._

.

.

"If I got a girlfriend and started helping out with the Chuunin Exams, would I be relieved of my _Sensei_ title?"

"And where would they go, Kankurou?" his brother mumbled, sipping his tea as he signed his name on yet another piece of paper with random crap from the Council scribbled on it.

Kankurou crossed his arms and sat back in his seat. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Wasn't supposed to."

He huffed loudly. "One of those brats is scarily like Naruto. I'll age like ten years within the next five days, he's that bad."

Gaara looked like he wanted to smirk at that but didn't; just kept that deadpan expression as always.

"He wants to be Kazekage. And he can't do _ninjutsu_ for shit. Now that I think about it, he really _is_ a second Naruto. You know how to handle the Loud Hokage, you take the kid," he suggested.

Gaara set down his pen and stared Kankurou straight in the eye. "You are unbelievably stubborn."

"I already know I'm not getting out of this," he grumbled, looking away awkwardly. "Stupid Temari, having a busier job than me and not having to be here."

"Tell you what," the former _Jinchuuriki_ said slowly. "If you can get that child to 'genius' standards, you'll never have to teach again. I'll have someone take your place as soon as that kid surpasses his classmates."

That was a lot of talking on Gaara's part.

Meaning he truly meant it.

Kankurou smiled. "You mean like Rock Lee, huh? You want this brat to become a Genius of Hard Work?" The puppeteer dipped his head submissively and grinned. "...I think I can do that much."

.

.

Two weeks later and Kankurou realized this was going to be _way_ harder than he'd originally thought.

Because now, here he was, helping Midori tug out a whole bunch of cactus needles from Kazu's clothing and skin while he winced but bit back his tears. Actually, the weirdo was _smirking_.

"I totally _destroyed_ that thing!"

"You totally crushed the cactus under your weight, yes," Midori sighed, pulling a thorn from the tip of his nose.

Kankurou rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that cactus will never threaten another human being as long as it sits there in a puddle of it's own pulp."

"You think?"

When his _sensei_ gave him an odd look, Kazu smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, flinching when more spines scraped against his scalp.

"I'm just joking..."

"Were you really?" the girl of the group wondered aloud, exasperation in her gaze.

Yuji was a few feet away. He'd tried to help a little, but two people were more than enough to remove all of the plant remains, so he'd decided to stay out of the way. He was shaking his head timidly in disbelief at what he was hearing. He stopped, however, when his hair got caught on the handle of the _katana_ strapped to his back.

Kankurou rolled his eyes again.

When Kazu was free of his thorns, he stood immediately, usual attitude back in place. "So where are we going now, Kankurou-_sensei_?!"

The adult shuffled to his feet as well, muttering under his breath. He turned to the three brats and placed his hands on his sides, trying to look like he had authority.

It was going to be yet another long day...

.

.

"The kid brutally murdered a cactus today."

Gaara frowned to himself, like he thought that was utterly depressing.

.

.

The time he'd had with these young ninjas was becoming a full month.

In between being the Kazekage's body guard at meetings, attending those meetings, filling out documents, training these dorks, taking care of human needs that one required to actually _survive _such as eating and drinking (alcohol, _not_, he wished), Kankurou was exhausted. Gaara seemed to be taking notice of this and offered alternative ideas that would earn him more napping time, but he was declined.

When Kankurou set his mind to something, he followed through with it.

So, as usual, he woke up early, dragging himself out of bed sluggishly and dressing himself, grabbing a quick bite to eat and heading out the door, not even bothering to brush his hair. He simply placed the black clothe over it, like he did anyway, and made his way down the street. He finished tying the white ribbon around his waist and re-positioned the load on his back so it was more comfortable.

Kankurou leaned against the wall at the location they were supposed to meet at and...

"Kankurou-_sensei_~"

He blinked his eyes rapidly, jumping slightly as Kazu's face came into vision. "Don't do that," he half-yelled, straightening his back. Yes, he had accidentally dozed off, but that didn't give the brat the right to scare him awake.

"Are you alright, _Sensei_?" Midori asked softly, concern in her eyes.

Kankurou knitted his eyebrows at her. "You people wear me out. Now come on, we have a mission."

"What class?" Yuji questioned, burying his hands in the pockets of his blue pants.

"C-rank," their teacher answered, yawning and scratching his head. "Meaning you'll probably have to fight a little. There's evidence of a rouge _shinobi_ to the east, just on the border. The Kazekage decided it'd be a good assignment for us, with you three being inexperienced but still somewhat strong." Actually, Kankurou had requested this one, and Gaara hadn't given less of a shit about what he did because he was asking at about 2:00 in the morning.

"Yosh~" Everyone glanced knowingly at the coffee-haired genin. "Now I can prove my worth!"

"It's only a C-rank mission, Kazu," Midori told him, words laced with annoyance. Then she beamed at him. "But if anyone can do it, you can."

Kankurou had neglected to say a word as he watched them interact. He was still bad at this whole "_sensei_ deal" and did his best to give them space. So he spun on his heel and began heading toward the exit of Sunagakure. "Let's go."

He said nothing as the heard of twelve-and-thirteen-year-olds pounded after him enthusiastically, hammering him for details and rambling about how excited they were.

.

.

Everything was wrong.

Everything was so, so _wrong_.

"Kankurou-_sensei_!"

He twisted in the air to catch sight of Yuji, his white hair stained with a streak of scarlet. His _katana_ was clenched in his hand so tightly that his knuckles were pale. Kankurou gritted his teeth. "Where are the other two?" he shouted over the wind.

A shaking hand pointed in the direction of the giant sand mound that faded into some trees as Wind Country met neighboring territory. _Chakra_ extended from his fingertips, reconnecting with Karasu a few feet below him. Kankurou landed hard, stumbling slightly, and turned to Yuji.

"I want to you to stay here. Move an _inch_ and I'll have you filling out my papers for me. And trust me,_ you don't want that_."

He nodded, eyes wide, and his master took off for the dune. More _chakra_ spiraled at the bottom of his feet, a technique all Sand _Shinobi_ used to move faster in the terrain. He pushed his body to act as swiftly as physically possible, listening for signs of his other two students.

_This is not a C-rank, _kept running through his mind.

With a puff of smoke, Karasu disappeared, being replaced with a weapon Kankurou only used when protecting someone important.

_This is not a C-rank. This is not a C-rank._

It occurred to him that this would have been much easier if he didn't have three naive _children_ with him. They were far too ignorant to be dealing with this, not ready, and if they died, it'd be his fault. And there was no damned way he was going to let that happen. Yuji had to get home to his family and older brother. Midori had to meet up with that friend of her's who was visiting from Iwa. Kazu had to become a 'genius', had to become Kazekage when Gaara resigned one day.

They had too much.

He wasn't about to let them lose it.

His Sasori Puppet, Scorpion, ambushed the two men on the other side of the mound. It was easy, only lasted a moment or so, and Kankurou was onto the next set of ninja.

Kankurou hated kids.

Or at least...he used to.

He had been raised to despise brats; nothing good had ever come from them. Hell, he'd even been disgusted with the fact that he had once been referred to as a child. He loathed the small hands that had always done so much damage to he and his family.

But these three...

_There!_

Releasing Scorpion so his hands were free, Kankurou reached out and roughly wrapped an arm around the smaller form of Midori, the other limb grasping Kazu. Both seemed lightly injured, but alright.

With a heavy sigh of relief, the jounin did a double-take on the way he'd come, leaping into the air to gain distance. Adrenaline sent his legs moving rapidly, scaling the hill once more.

"This is not a C-rank!" one of the brats screamed in his ear.

"Bite me!" Kankurou shouted back, feeling a small cut on his cheek let out a drop of blood, which mixed with the violet paint. "It was supposed to be, so bite me! You're okay, we're all okay, we're going home!"

When they reached Yuji at the base of the ridge, Kankurou dumped his pupils onto the ground with him. They were gasping for air, but for some reason, all of them were grinning widely up at their instructor.

Before Kankurou could ask why, he heard voices a ways behind them, and he addressed the trio. "We're getting out of here. Ice cream's on me."

.

.

"Two chocolate, one strawberry, one chocolate chip," was he said tiredly as he slapped down the cash. "Keep the change, make it as quick as you can."

Less than minute later, Kankurou was handing the cones to each of his kids. Their slightly bloody, bruised, and weary appearances had probably been what had driven the guy to get their orders so fast.

"Ok, Midori, here's your strawberry," he muttered from memory, passing it out to her. "Yuji, chocolate chip. And Kazu, here's your's."

"Thanks, _Sensei_!"

"Whatever...," was he got out as he, too, indulged in his comfort dessert.

.

.

When Temari opened the door to her home, all she could picture was her bed. Her trip from Konoha had proven exhausting and it'd been about a month and a half since she'd originally departed.

Propping her iron fan against the wall beside the doorway and kicking off her sandals, she turned and almost squeaked. And Temari did _not_ squeak.

_What the hell did I _miss_?_

She heard a tiny cough, like someone was trying to get her attention. The dim light in the kitchen was on, and when Temari looked, she saw her other brother. Gaara lifted his index finger to his lips, indicating that she should be quiet. On muted steps that only a ninja could have, his sister joined him at the counter, instantly whispering, "What the hell, Gaara?"

The Kazekage shrugged, taking a drink of whatever was in that cup. "How was your trip?"

"Oh, screw you," Temari snapped, crossing her arms just below her chest. "I want you to explain _that_." She pointed and Gaara shrugged again.

"I appointed him a _Sensei_."

"...For how long?"

"We have conditions in order," he murmured casually. "However..."

They trailed into a pleasant stillness as the two siblings peered over at the third. Temari couldn't help but smile at the sight of Kankurou sprawled out on their couch with his three students filling the other two chairs and one even passed out sitting on his _sensei_'s legs and head resting on the back cushion. All were asleep. It was like looking at a father with his crazy sons and daughter, or a grown-up boy and his little cousins. They looked exhausted, like wrecks, with untreated cuts and blemishes.

"I highly doubt he'll be resigning anytime soon," Gaara finished, closing his eyes and allowing the faintest of smiles to grace his lips.

Temari chuckled softly. "So are sleepovers the new thing?"

"...I suppose we'll find out."

"Yeah."

.

.

_~Finish~_


End file.
